Learning English and through English 4 - 2014-15: Dinosaurus

Learning English and through English 4 - 2014-15: Dinosaurus

As we did with the islands http://creatingtomorrowschoolstoday.blogspot.com.es/2015/04/learning-english-and-through-english-4.html, this time, we used the models provide by the textbook to invent and describe dinosaurs. Here is a sample.

Meet Professor Polyethylene

Do you know anything about polyethylene?

Students made crazy XXI century scientist-  Professor Polyethylene using LEGO bricks. They found information about polyethylene on the Internet then present scientists beginning speech with: “I’m a famous scientist”.

Stop Motion videos

Inspired by Derpi's short movies

http://creatingtomorrowschoolstoday.blogspot.com.es/2015/04/the-giving-tree-follow-up-by-derpi.html, Year 6 pupils are going to create stop-motion videos with Legos. We will use an app for Android devices called "Stop Motion Studio". There is another free app by Lego that offers you the possibility to add music, titles, etc., but it is only available now at the App store.

I will post the videos when they finish them. 

Thanks to Joanna and Derpi for the idea and the nice examples.

Learning English and through English 4 - 2014-15: Islands

Learning English and through English 4 - 2014-15: Islands

Using our textbook as a model, we have invented islands and we have described them using the vocabulary we have learned throughout the unit. I hope you like it.

Foreign languages all around us

For memorizing, comparing, learning,... I prepared some signs to name the stuff or phrases in our classroom. I wrote the words in German (mother tongue), in English and French (learnt by our pupils at school) and Spanish (because of the friendship connection of my class to a teacher and a class in Chile). The kids enjoyed to put the words to the things. Every day they show to me that these words are very important to them.

Janine Herzog

Finnish Lessons

Finnish Lessons is a firsthand, comprehensive account of how Finland built a world-class education system over the past three decades. The author traces the evolution of education policies in Finland and highlights how they differ from those in the United States and other industrialized countries. Rather than relying on competition, school choice, and external testing of students, education reforms in Finland focus on professionalizing teachers' work, developing instructional leadership in schools, and enhancing trust in teachers and schools. This book details the complexity of educational change and encourages educators and policy makers to develop effective solutions for their own districts and schools. 

Pasi Sahlberg recounts the history of Finnish educational reform as only a well-traveled insider can, offering the insight and facts necessary for others to constructively participate in improving their schools - even in a tightening economy.

The Giving Tree - follow-up by Derpi

Following our giving tree lesson Janek decided to make his very own giving tree movie. This is his masterpiece:

The Giving Tree

Do you remember the story of the giving tree?

http://creatingtomorrowschoolstoday.blogspot.com.es/2015/02/performing-giving-tree-with-playmobil.html

Following the idea offered by the Spanish school we had the same classes which turned out to be a great experience. Both, emotional and linguistic one.

From the top

Our pupils in the grade 1/2 built a pattern on the ground plate. Then they looked from above and drew the view into their exercise books. So they enjoyed learning by doing with LEGO bricks.

Janine Herzog
Erich Kästner Grundschule

Milano Antica

We are studying Roman history and it has been a good idea visit the Roman ruins in Milan.

From Via Dante we head into Via Meravigli where we come to Palazzo Turati and the ruins of the ancient Roman theatre. 

Years ago during construction, workers uncovered the remains of a first-century CE Roman theatre. Recent surveys carried out by the Institute of Archaeology of the Catholic University have improved knowledge about Roman Theater in Milan. The remains, appeared several times since the late 19th century, were for the first time investigated by stratigraphic method. The findings allowed dating the building of the monument at the Augustan period and reconstructing its centuries-old history. Contextually, was implemented a visit tour open to the public where the scientific rigor is combined with modern multimedia techniques.

The students appreciated a lot this tour and they were lead into the Roman History.Our guide, Mr. Preti was very good at explaing in a simple but vivid way this part of history. Thanks a lot!

Look at the video

http://www.mi.camcom.it/teatro-romano

At school we read a lot about Romans and especially Roman architecture in Milan. The students tried to build a model of  the Circus with the games.

Chariot races

A gift for our planet

Plant a seed or a flower !

 Classes 3 rd and 4th grade are involved in a gardening project.

Each class has its own part.

Pupils put seeds in the vase and kept them warm in a school corner near the light .

When the plants grow.

 They put them outside in the ground.

Children of class 3rd observed the life from a seed ( bean, peas and corn seeds) to the plant. They classified them  and learnt to distinguish different seeds

.

Class 5th choose flowers.

They planted a great variety as a gift for our school garden

A way to help environment

EARTH DAY

On 22nd April we have discussed a lot about our  actions in order to help our planet: recycling was the first aim for my class.

“What is recycling?”

Recycling means taking materials from old discarded materials and making other new products from them.

Recycling 

What is the recycling loop?

Have you ever seen this symbol before?

This is the recycling loop. There are other forms of this symbol but this is the most common form. The three arrows in this symbol stand for the three steps in the recycling process.

The three steps

The first of these steps is the collection of the recyclable materials . The second step is processing: taking the old material and making it into new products. The third step happens when you buy recycled  products, made from materials you would have thrown away.

Why recycling?

- Recycling uses less energy and causes less pollution than making goods from new materials.

- Recycling usually costs less than other ways of getting rid of trash.

- Recycling saves forests, petroleum and other resources.

3 R's

Introduce the concept of the 3 r': Reduce, Recycle , Reuse.Classify students’ ideas as Reduce, Recycle or Reuse.

REDUCE ==> make less garbage. For example, instead of buying juice boxes for lunch, buy a large container of juice and use a washable single serving container to take it to school.

REUSE ==> use an item more than once. For example, when you get a plastic bag from a shop or a store put it in your car and use it again the next time you go shopping.

RECYCLE ==> turn an item into another useful item. For example, scrap paper from the classroom might be turned into newspaper or paper bags .

Recycling is the process of making or manufacturing new products from a product that has originally served its purpose.

Items ( objects) that are made from materials such as aluminum, plastic water bottles, and certain kinds of paper  can be separated from your regular trash and put in an appropriate recycling bin.  Human actions will either damage or help the environment.

Thinking activity

Place a  can  in a central location in the class. Have the children individually come up with an idea for RECYCLING the  can.

Scriviamo su un cartellone le loro idee su come riciclare o riutilizzare la lattina.

At school

If there are not recycling bins for all the different materials (plastic, glass, paper, metals, etc.),instruct the students to write letters stating their concerns and their desire to help the planet with recycling.

Out of the school: at home and on the road

What kinds of materials can we recycle?

Leggiamo con gli studenti il brano e stimoliamo una comprensione globale.

Paper, glass, cardboard, aluminum cans, steel cans, and other metals can all be recycled. Plastic bottles can also be recycled to make new products. These products can be used to make playground equipment, the steel in skyscrapers, bottles that hold food other household products, and even bottles for drinking water.

Ways to Help The Environment, Rodari Primary School

There are numerous ways to help the environment by recycling.

1 Recycling saves energy. The manufacture of new products from “virgin materials” the amount of energy needed is much higher than using recycled materials. The energy and resources that are expended in the transportation of “virgin” materials is also saved.

2. Recycling reduces pollution and preserves the environmental condition.

3. Recycling preserves natural resources

How can you help?

You can help by learning about and practicing the three R's of waste management: Reduce, reuse, and recycle! Practicing all three of these activities every day is not only important for a healthy environment, but it can also be fun too.

Recycling playing corner

We realized this handscraft of our planet by using only recycling papers and materials.

We went on talking about climate and animals: a lot of animals are in danger because of pollution and human actions

We learnt songs ( thanks to the Polish partners for suggestions!!!)

and we wrote poems.

The Earth Day Raps

As I mentioned before at http://creatingtomorrowschoolstoday.blogspot.com.es/2015/04/the-international-earth-day-coming-soon.html, my students wrote the raps, concerning our planet. This is what they came up with:

The Earth Raps

Earth is your friend

It loves you

You love it

It is your home

And gives you a safe place to live in

Respect your home

Don't trash it!

Clean it every day

Recycle, yeah

Lights off, yeah

Save water, yeah

Save money, yeah

Maria Jackowska, Julia Wasilewska, Zosia Gryko, class IG

Hello people, I'm your home.

You can call me Water Ball.

Rivers, oceans and lakes - everybody shakes

Like an earthquake.

Trees, grass, bushes - everything's green,

What does it mean?

Now baby shake your body, make huge noise and watch how nature grows!

So remember baby, baby, baby, baby

There's no empty whole!

So remember baby, baby, baby, baby

I'm a Water Ball

*TU RUTU TURU TU, RUTU TURU TU, TU RUTU TURU TU*

I'm a Water Ball!

Magdalena Chlabicz, Zuzanna Zajączkowska, class IG

Every Bro collects the waste x2

Sell your cans, sell your bricks,

You will pay all your bills

Every Bro collects the waste x2

Sell your car, sell your home,

You will buy a boat to row

Every Bro collects the waste x2

My new boat is just bought

Plant the trees, plant the bush,

You will help our world!

Every Bro collects the waste x2

Franciszek Łukaszewicz, Gabriel Gil, class IG

The Earth is cool

Ecology full.

In the water there live fishes

Endangered species.

In space there is a lot of waste

Space is a big rubbish place.

In the ocean big animals sail

The biggest of them is whale.

No rubbish, no waste

Our Earth is the best.

Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa

North America South America.

The Earth is very dirty

After our big party.

Jan Trypuć, Gabriela Krajewska, Kornel Kielczyk, Patryk Subieta

Environment x4

In the magic in the summer

Come on it's beautiful

This looks funnier

Environment x4

I saw a whale when sailing

I saw our planet failing

Environment x4

I like this world

In this world there are hordes

Of the running dogs

Environment x4

Those castles are best

I save you in the chest

Enviroment x4

This world is good for boys and girls !!!

Amelia Koszałkowska, Bartłomiej Hapoń, Maksymilian Sawicki, Bartłomiej Karpiński